In Memory of 1,523 Souls
April 15th, 1912
02:20 A.M.
41.44 N 50.24 W

(Only one lifeboat returned to the wrecksite to look for survivors)

"The sound of people drowning
is something I cannot describe to you
and neither can anyone else.
It is the most dreadful soundand then there is dreadful silence
that follows it."

Quote by Eva Hart - Titanic survivor

Isidor and Ida Straus

Isidor and Ida Straus were well known amongst the first class
passengers aboard the Titanic. Isidor, then 67, had made much
of his fortune from his "Macy's" department store in New York,
which still operates to this day.

Captain Roswell H. Macy, a former Nantucket whaling captain,
founded R.H. Macy Company in the days before the Civil War. Isidor
Straus, along with his dad and his brother, were originally
involved in the sale of china, crockery, tableware, linens, textiles
and dry goods. They rented space in Captain Macy's store to sell
their wares. Captain Macy eventually died, leaving the store to
his son and daughter. The daughter and her husband were both involved
in the day to day operation of the store, but the son, R.H. Macy,
Jr. was a drunkard and a spendthrift, and proceeded to run the store
into the ground. The Strauses saw what Junior was doing to the
company, got their financing together, and were able to buy him
out, as well as the rest of the Macys who were involved in the
family business. The Strauses further thought it was good business
sense to continue the name of the store as R.H. Macy Co., and
that's why it's still called Macy's.

The couple had been married for 41 years at the time of the
disaster. They raised six children together, and were almost
inseparable. On the rare occasion that they were apart, they
wrote each other every day. They even celebrated their birthdays
on the same day, although they were well apart from one another.

During the sinking, Titanic's officers pleaded with the 63 year
old Ida to board a lifeboat and escape the disaster, but she
repeatedly refused to leave her husband. Instead, she placed her
maid in a lifeboat, taking her fur coat off and handing it to
the maid while saying, "I won't need this anymore". At one point,
she was convinced to enter one of the last two lifeboats, but jumped
out as her husband walked away to rejoin him.

When last seen by witnesses, they were standing on deck, holding
each other in a tight embrace.

Their funeral drew some 6,000 mourners at Carnegie Hall.

A monument to them still stands in a Bronx cemetery, it's
inscription reads:

"Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can the floods drown it."

John B. Thayer, III

John B. Thayer, III was born on April 21, 1862,
There were plans to celebrate his 50th birthday after the Thayer's arrival in
New York. John B. Thayer III didn't make it, but his son and wife both survived.

The following article is from the Philadelphia Press, Sunday, April 21, 1912:

WAS TO CELEBRATE BIRTHDAY

Had he lived, John B. Thayer, one of the heroes of the Titanic disaster, would
have celebrated today the fiftieth anniversary of his birth.

He, his family and his social and business associates had looked forward with
pleasurable anticipation to his attainment of the half-century mark. An athlete,
devoted to home and family, moderate in his tastes, of exceptional ability and
remarkable initiative, he was generally regarded as one who had already become
on of the greatest powers for the industrial development of this city.

Grateful passengers have told how Mr. Thayer awakened them in their berths and
insisted upon their preparing to leave the ship. His cheery, stalwart presence
was everywhere in those last moments. Death found him steady, ready and manfully
doing his best for others. These things will be remembered today by those who he
saved and by thousands of others to whom his memory will be an inspiration.

SKETCH OF MR. THAYER

Mr. Thayer was born in this city. After leaving the University of Pennsylvania in
1881, he entered the service of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company as clerk in the
Empire Line office, in which position he served about eighteen months, when he was
transferred to the general freight department, serving two years in the bureau of
claims and eighteen months in the rate department.
Upon the reorganization of the freight department, with J.S. Wilson as general freight
traffic agent, Mr. Thayer was appointed chief clerk, which position he held three
years, when he was appointed freight solicitor, United Railroads of New Jersey division.

In February, 1889, Mr. Thayer left the service of the company to engage in private
business. He returned to the company on May 1, 1892, as division freight agent of the
Northern Central Railway, with headquarters at Baltimore. On December 1, 1894, he was promoted to the position of assistant general freight agent, with headquarters at Philadelphia; on March 10, 1897, general freight agent in charge of through traffic, and on May 1, 1899, general freight agent of the company, and also of the Northern Central Railway, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad, and West Jersey and Seashore Railroad Companies.

AGAIN PROMOTED

On June 1, 1903, Mr. Thayer was made fifth vice-president in charge of traffic. On
October 10, 1905, upon a change in the organization of the company, he became fourth
vice-president; on March 24, 1909, he was advanced to third vice-president, and on
March 3, 1911, he was made second vice-president.

Mr. Thayer was a director of the Long Island Railroad Company and various subsidiary companies.

(Read about survivors Mrs. Marian Thayer and young Jack Thayer on the SURVIVORS PAGE.

Benjamin Guggenheim

Benjamin Guggenheim best epitomized this chivalry, class, bravery,
and dignity when he showed up on that tilting deck, in the freezing
night air, with his valet, the both of them having just dressed in
their best suits, and amidst all that confusion and terror, stated,
"We have dressed in our best, and are prepared to go down like
gentlemen."

Benjamin Guggenheim was a well known millionaire industrialist,
father of three, and notorious playboy. Travelling with his latest
mistress, the French singer Leontine Aubart, Guggenheim, 47 at the
time, was the epitome of a first class passenger.

Often spending months abroad while managing various investments,
Guggenheim lived an unbelievably lavish lifestyle. Most of his
money had come from his iron baron father, Meyer Guggenheim.
Benjamin never showed the monetary prowse that had made such a
giant out of his father. He squandered over 8 million dollars on
bad investments, and left his three children with only $450,000
each (not exactly small change in 1912, but a tiny fraction of
the original fortune).

As the ship sank, he and his valet returned their lifebelts to a
steward and retired to Guggenheim's luxurious cabin, where they
donned formal evening attire.

Reappearing on deck, Guggenheim stated, "We've dressed in our
best, and are prepared to go down like gentlemen."

He later asked a steward to "Tell my wife in New York I did
my best in doing my duty."

Reportedly, after seeing to the safe departure of his mistress
and her maid in a lifeboat, Guggenheim and his valet sat in chairs
on the tilting deck, sipping brandy and smoking cigars as the
ship sank.

George D. Widener

From the New York Times Saturday April 20, 1912

Philadelphia, PA, April 19 - In describing her experiences in
the sinking of the Titanic Mrs. George D. Widener, whose son
and husband, a wealthy financier of this city, were drowned,
said that she had seen Capt. Smith of the liner jump from the
bridge into the sea and that a moment previous she had seen
another officer turn a revolver upon himself and send a bullet
into his brain."

"Mr. Widener and I had retired to our cabin for the night,"
she said, "when the shock of crashing into the iceberg occured. We
though little of it and did not leave our cabin. We must have
remained there an hour before becoming fearful."

HELP TO CALM PANIC

"Then Mr. Widener went to our son Harry's room and brought
him to our cabin. A short time later Harry went to the deck and
hurried back and told us that we must go on deck. Mr. Widener and
Harry a few mintues later went on deck and aided the officers who
were then having trouble with those in the steerage. That was the
last I saw of my husband or son."

"I went on deck and was put into a life boat. As the boat pulled
away from the Titanic I saw one of the officers shoot himself in
the head and a few minutes later saw Capt. Smith jump from the
bridge into the sea."

WHOLE FAMILY OVERCOME

Mrs. Widener is at her home at Elkins Park, PA, near here. The
entire Widener family which is among the most prominent in
Philadelphia's financial and social circles is overcome by the
disaster. The family has received messages of sympathy from all
parts of the world.